Dumb law of the week (granted, it's only Monday): The California city of Lancaster is considering a law to banes and those on probation from one of its rough neighborhoods. A state prison is located in Lancaster, and many of those released from jail apparently want to make it home. Under the proposed Lancaster Community Appreciation Project,

...ex-convicts on or probation from the drug dealer to the writer of bad checks would be barred from visiting, renting or owning property in a 20-block area. Signs would notify them that the area is off limits. Current residents would be exempt. If successful, the project would be expanded to other neighborhoods.

Is Lancaster not in America? Haven't they heard of the First Amendment right to freedom of association?

In 1996, Cincinnati barred those convicted of drug offenses from certain ''drug exclusion zones.'' Six years later, a federal appeals court ruled that the ordinance was unconstitutional.

A Deputy District Attorney named David Berger designed the plan to cut down on crime. But what does this remind you of?

''The issue will be very simple: You were there (in the excluded zone), and you weren't supposed to be,'' Berger said.

Speaking of the dumb law of the week, it would be nice to have a small graphic or button to display with these posts that people could put on their blogs when referring to them and would be instantly recognizable. If any artistic folks would like to create one, we think that would be great. Put it up on your blog for now, and send us the url--maybe we can even do a contest.